Jammu , July 5
After People Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) shared their stance on Jammu’s statehood revocation and their dissatisfaction over PM Modi’s all-party meet, the Apni party responded that the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir is the core demand along with job security and property rights. Ahead of the J&K elections, the PAGD held a secret meeting, avoiding the media attention, on July 5.
Vikram Malhotra, General Secretary, Jammu Kashmir Apni Party, said, “PAGD parties put their version of J&K in the public domain by saying the same thing in a twisted way even though they want to fight within the legal framework”.
He claimed that the restoration of Article 370 and 35A are under sub judice.
He further added, “Statehood is our core demand along with job and land rights, especially for the youth”.
Emphasizing the Democratic functioning in the Union Territory, he said, “No condition should be there for the democratic process. Priority should be a democratic process and this should happen”.
Appreciating the initiative by the Prime Minister over holding an all-party meet on June 24 to discuss the J&K development, Vikram said, “Centre has promised statehood and they reiterated same in All-Party Meet”.
He further stated, “We also want statehood before elections, but it shouldn’t be a precondition”.
Earlier, responding to PM Modi’s J&K all-party meet, “We appreciate the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in holding an All-Party meeting with the mainstream leaders. We demand full statehood and call for a process to be set in motion for putting in place an elected government so that the issues and problems of people are solved and development gets a big boost”.
On Sunday, July 5, PAGD leaders had organised a meeting under the chairmanship of Dr Farooq Abdullah where the vice-chairperson of the PAGD Mehbooba Mufti, spokesman of the PAGD MY Tarigami, NC leader Justice(retd) Hasnain Masoodi participated, in Srinagar. The meeting was aimed to discuss the aftermath of PM Modi’s all-party meeting.
Speaking of the all-party meeting held on June 24, a PAGD statement read, “The PAGD reiterated its commitment to fight together to reverse the unconstitutional and unacceptable changes foisted on the people of J&K on 5th August 2019 using all constitutional, legal, and political means at its disposal. PAGD’s struggle for undoing these changes will continue as long as it takes while striving to achieve this objective as early as possible”.
The statement further added, “As far as the restoration of statehood is concerned, it has been BJP’s commitment on the floor of the Parliament & they must honour their word. So any assembly election must be held only after the restoration of full statehood for J&K. To this end the PAGD has decided to reach out to other political parties in J&K with a view to taking a common position on the issue”.
(Source Republic TV )
